MYSTERY surrounds the 'spontaneous' suicide of a businessman.

On the day of his death Edward Noddings, 54, who ran a slaughterer's business near Guisborough, had not appeared to be unhappy.

He had given a cheery thumbs-up sign to Allen Reed, owner of a Guisborough fitness club where he was known for his laughing and joking.

And as he entered his portable cabin office, moments before shooting himself in the head with a semi-automatic pistol, Mr Noddings had cheerily greeted employee John Pearson with the words 'Hello, John mate'.

Police investigating Mr Noddings' death found bread, milk and a bunch of fresh flowers in the boot of his car.

Sgt Andrew Wills, of Cleveland Police, told Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield that a receipt found with the items indicated the shopping had been bought that afternoon.

Mr Sheffield said: "The primary purpose of an inquest is not to ascertain why a person took a certain course of action, the purpose of an inquest is to ascertain what happened.

"It does seem from the evidence which has just been given by Sgt Wills that the action Mr Noddings took may have been spontaneous action which had not necessarily been thought out.

"That may never be known for certain."

Mr Reed, who runs the Allama Fitness Studio, told the inquest that during an earlier chat he had with Mr Noddings, the businessman told him about problems he had had with the business, based at The Stables, Charltons.

But Mr Reed said he got the impression the problems had been resolved.

"He seemed optimistic about the future and did not seem at all depressed," he said.

Pathologist Dr Jan Lowe told the inquest in Middlesbrough Mr Noddings was 'mildly intoxicated' at the time of his death.

Mr Sheffield recorded a verdict that Mr Noddings, of Stable House, Charltons, killed himself.

Only months before his death Mr Noddings had won a long-running battle with protesters over plans for a new animal incinerator at the Charltons site.

His plans, which he said were essential for the survival of his business, divided the village and led to an 18-month battle. An Appeal Court judge ruled that the incinerator had been correctly approved.